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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, January 01, 2023

Album review: Chicago Stompers - The Greatest Hits

Band leader, multi-instrumentalist, festival director and more, Mauro Porro has led the Chicago Stompers for two decades. To mark the milestone, the man from Milan chose to re-record much of the material on the Stompers' two previous recordings - C. S. Stomp and Too Late - and in so doing, assembled a first rate ensemble. A fifteen-strong core, plus five guests (four of them vocalists, variously soprano, alto, tenor and baritone), seventeen tracks, The Greatest Hits is the finished product, described by Porro as 'a present to our fans'.

From Ellington's East St Louis Toodle-Oo through to the closing 'bonus track', King Oliver's West End Blues, the Chicago Stompers lovingly recreate the jazz of a century ago, the 'jazz age'. The ensemble work is first rate, as are the many finely crafted solo contributions. Principal vocalist Marcella Malacrida is featured on eight tracks and, for good measure, plays glockenspiel on (Oh!) Lady be Good. Four alto saxophonists complement one another with Lorenzo Baldasso especially prominent. Pasquale Gravela's cornet features on all seventeen sides (Porro's cornet can be heard on half a dozen cuts), Giorgio Gallina's trombone playing catches the ear and Paolo A. Vanzulli makes himself heard on tuba. Guest vocalists Chiara Pederzani and Veronica Sbergia join Marcella Malacrida to produce superb vocal harmonies on Sunday. Excellent!

Mauro Porro's mastery of several instruments - piano, clarinet, soprano sax, alto sax, cornet, kazoo - is clearly evident throughout the album's near sixty minutes' playing time. Daniele Fazio recorded, mixed and mastered the album. The Chicago Stompers' twentieth anniversary (2002-2022) album The Greatest Hits (CD 005) is available from: www.chicagostompers.it. Russell                   
      
Marcella Malacrida (vocals - 3, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, glockenspiel 12); Martino Pellegrini (violin - 3-5, 8-12, 14, 16); Pasquale Gravela (cornet); Lorenzo Baldasso (alto sax - 1, 2,4-9, 11-17, clarinet 1, 2, 4-6, 8, 9, 12, 16,17); Davide Vincenzi (alto sax - 3, 10); Sophia Tomelleri (alto sax - 2, 3, 5-9, 11-17, clarinet - 2, 3, 6, 8-12, 14, 16, 17); Arturo Garra (tenor sax, clarinet - 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17); Giorgio Gallina (trombone); Mauro L. Porro (piano, clarinet - 17, soprano sax - 1, alto sax - 11, cornet - 1, 6, 7, 12, 14, 15, kazoo - 16, arrangements & transcriptions); Michele Rusconi (banjo - 2, 3, 6, 9, 13, 15-17, guitar - 8, 10, 11); Yuri Biscaro (guitar - 5, 7, 12, 14); Paolo Dellino (banjo - 1, 4); Paolo A. Vanzulli (tuba - 1-7, 9, 10, 12-17); Marco Rottoli (string bass - 8, 11); Fabrizio Carriero (drums, percussion, effects, washboard - 9) + Chiara Pederzani (soprano vocals - 14, 16); Veronica Sbergia (alto vocals - 14, 16); Doug Bowles (tenor vocals - 10); Drew Nugent (baritone vocals - 7, 13); Andrès Villani (alto sax - 1, 4)     

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